Beautiful beaches, great restaurants and an array of shopping venues continue to attract vacationers from around the world. Santa Monica is also home to Rand, The Milken Institute, Santa Monica College, a host of leading health care institutions -- St. John''s Hospital, Santa Monica / UCLA Medical Center -- and it has emerged as a hot spot for high-tech, multimedia and special effects.
Santa Monica is comprised of 8.3 square miles with a balance of vibrant commercial districts and neighboring residential communities. The City is situated on the westside of Los Angeles County, 16 miles from downtown Los Angeles, where Pacific Coast Highway and Interstate Highway 10 meet. It is bordered by the City of Los Angeles on three sides and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Santa Monica was founded in 1875 on the site of the land grant of Don Francisco Sepulveda, and incorporated in 1886.
Santa Monica offers convenient access to major freeways, bus lines and airports. It is served by two freeways, the Santa Monica (Int.10), and San Diego (405); and by four major east-west thoroughfares; Santa Monica (Route 66), Wilshire, Olympic and Pico Boulevards. It is located approximately six miles from Los Angeles International Airport. The City also has its own state-of-the-art aviation operations at Santa Monica Airport, offering a wide variety of business charters and general aviation services.
Santa Monica's coastal Mediterranean climate provides an ideal atmosphere for taking advantage of the famous California lifestyle. Centered on three miles of wide, white sandy beaches, the City enjoys a mild climate averaging about 68 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Air quality is consistently good in the coastal district that surrounds Santa Monica.
According to the 2000 Census, Santa Monica''s population is 84,084, or about 10,100 persons per square mile. Santa Monica is a city whose age distribution shows a significant concentration in the 22-44 age group, and has fewer youth under 19 years of age (16 percent) than the county average. The average Santa Monica resident is 39 years of age. This is also an educated population: 91 percent had twelve years or more of schooling; and 54 percent have a BA Degree or higher.
Santa Monica is unique in its household and housing cross-section. 38 percent of the households in Santa Monica are families, and 62 percent are non-family households, the reverse of the national average of 68 percent families and 32 percent non-family households. there are an average of 2.8 persons per family, and 1.8 persons per household. The 49,065 housing units in the City as of 2003 are primarily (70 percent) occupied by renters as opposed to homeowners, again the reverse of the national average of 34 percent renters and 66 percent homeowners.
The median household income in Santa Monica is $50,714 as of the 2000 Census. The number of households earning over $150,000 doubled between 1990 and 2000 when it reached 12 percent of total households. 60 percent of Santa Monica's employed population are employed as management, professional, and related occupations. The most popular employment industries for Santa Monica residents were educational, health & social service (18.8 percent), followed closely by professional, scientific & management industries (18.6 percent). Information services provided employment for 14.6 percent of residents.
Real Estate The median home price is $631,000. Although housing and rental prices in Santa Monica are increasing, the variety of rental rates and availability of homes in the Westside region present a wide range of housing opportunities for the Santa Monica employee.
Industry, Employment and Labor Force Santa Monica is an economically successful city with about 16,000 businesses which collectively generate almost $8.4 billion in gross annual income. About $2.3 billion of these sales are in the retail sector. There are an estimated 71,000 jobs in Santa Monica, generating a combined payroll of around $3 billion. The Westside, including Santa Monica, also has a large resident workforce of skilled "knowledge workers". Over 60 percent of the 47,059 employed Santa Monica residents work in managerial, professional, and related occupations.
Tourism Tourism is a key component of the economy and lifestyle of this beachfront community. Over 3.8 million people visit the city each year from outside Los Angeles County for pleasure, vacation, or business. These visitors spend $788 million annually, and bring in hotel tax revenues of $20 million to the city.
Important Numbers Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce 501 Colorado Avenue, Suite 150 Santa Monica CA 90401 (310) 393-9825 www.smchamber.com
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District 1651 Sixteenth St. Santa Monica CA 90404 310) 450-8338 www.smmusd.org
Big Blue Bus 612 Colorado Avenue Santa Monica CA 90401 (310) 451-5444
City Hall 1685 Main Street Santa Monica CA 90401 310-458-8411 www.santa-monica.org
Beautiful beaches, great restaurants and an array of shopping venues continue to attract vacationers from around the world. Santa Monica is also home to Rand, The Milken Institute, Santa Monica College, a host of leading health care institutions -- St. John''s Hospital, Santa Monica / UCLA Medical Center -- and it has emerged as a hot spot for high-tech, multimedia and special effects.